Molasses gate



Sept. 18, 1934. A, w RlTTER 1,974,083

MOLASSES GATE Filed Oct. 10, 1932 -37 w 2: hdzz 3 Wm z 23 W z: 0

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 MOLASSES GATE Albert W. Bitter, New Haven, Conn., assignor'to Sargent '& Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 10, 1932, Serial No. 637,104

f 7 Claims; ((1251-1725) 'This invention relates'to faucets, spigots, or

the like, and more particularly to'whatis commonly known in the trade as molasses or oil gates,

the construction of which embodies a discharge spout or nozzle adapted to be-secured to a barrel or other container, and whichis provided with a swinging yoke or bail having a sliding I valve plate or gate adapted to open and close a discharge passage through the body portion of the device when the yoke is actuated.

In the use of such devices it often occurs] that the valve or gate is left in'an open position, or is not completely closed after being used, with the result that a discharge or leakage of the contents of the barrel takes place. It is contemplated in the present invention to provide a device of such construction that the gate -or valve may not be left in open position, but will be closed auto- 'matically when released to effectually prevent the escape of the contents of the container;

One object oftheinvention is to provide a gate or spigot which is constantly urged to closed position, so that when not held in open position it will be closed automatically. i

Another object of the invention is the provision of a molasses gate or spigot so constructed that the valve thereof will be automatically re- .turned to closed position when released.

' A still further objectof the invention is the provision of a molasses gate or spigot which is con stantly urged to closed position, which must be held open against J the tensionof the closing means, and which will be provided with a rest or fulcrum-for a portion of'the hand of the operator to facilitate holding the valve in openposition.

Tothese and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing: v Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a molasses gate or spigot embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on 33 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view on line 44 line of Fig. 3.

The spigot selected for illustration has the usual spout or body portion 10 provided at its rear end with screw threads 11 by which it may be mounted in a barrel or other container, in connection with which the spigot is to be used. The body portion 10 is provided with laterally extendingbosses '12 and' 13, upon which is pivoted a yoke 15, the-yoke being of U-shape and having openings 16 and 17 to receive the bosses. It will QES PATENT OFFICE be understood that this yoke may be conveniently H manufactured and two separate halve installed by being made in s which meet along the line 18,-which halves may be secured together by the screws 19.

The yoke is thus pivoted to the body 10 of the'spout for swinging movement about the bosses 12 and 13.

of the body so as charge opening 25.:

to efiectually close the dis- It will be noted that the valve plate-is urged tightly against the spring 21. It' may 24' of the body 10 curved along an arc face 24 by'the action or the also be noted that the face and the valve plate 22 are about the bosses 12 and 13 as a. center so as to provide for a' close fitting of these parts and prevent any leakage from the discharge opening 25 when the valve is in closed position.

The yoke 15 is provided with a manually engageable member 26 which may be engaged by the hand of the operator to move the yoke about its pivots.

It will be understood that this movement of the yoke carries the valve plate 22 with it due to the connection between these parts, and that when the yoke is moved upwardly from v o the position shown of the valve), the

in Fig. 3 (the closed position discharge opening 25 will be uncovered and permit the contents of the container to flow throu gh this opening.

In order that the valve may be urged to closed position when not held in an openposition by the operator, the intermediate portion of the yoke 15 is formed with a socket 30, within which is positioned the lower end'of a compression spring 31.

A fulcrum member 32 is secured to the body portion 10 of the spigo t, this member having a portion 33 bent at an angle to the remainder thereof and extending in a generally'inclined direction over and beyond the upper end of the spring 31. A tongue 34 is struck downwardly from the middle of this fulcrum member intermediate the edges thereof at a point above the spring 31 so that this tongue extends downwardly into the, spring to hold the upper end fulcrum member.

thereof in position below the A collar 35 may be inserted' into the upper end of the spring to surround the tongue 34 to prevent any likelihood of the end of the spring entering the slot 36 in the fulcrum member, this slot being formed by the striking down of the tongue 34.

It will be noted that the portion 33 of the fulcrum member extends outwardly on each side of the slot 36'b'eyond the spring 31' to aposition aboveth manually engageable member 26 so that this portion of the fulcrum member maybe-used as a rest or fulcrum for the thumb or other part of the hand of the operator when holding"the valve in open position.

As the spring 31 constantly urges the valve 15 downwardly it will be found advantageous to'provide stops of some character tdlin'iitthe' movement of the yoke in this direction. For this purpose the legs of the yoke zareprovided 'with small lugs 3'7 upon the inner sides thereof, which-lugs contact with ribs 38 formed on the 'out'erside -portionsof-the-body -10-=of the-spout. T-heful- "-crummember -32 is-sec-ured to an ear:3Q--projecting; upwardly from the body portion. 10 of the spigot so that the laterally inclinedportion 33 of f this member will -be--beyond 4 the normalpath ofmovement-of-the-valve plate 22and not interfere with the movement of the valve toa-full =open position. Thefrontface of-this ear" is a continuation of the-'face=24. {Theoperationof the device maybe briefly de- "scribedyas follows:

:In Fig.- 3--the gate is shown inthe closed posi- E tion of' the-'pa-rtswherein the dischargempening 625 is effectually closed to prevent any leakage of M thecontents of the container to-which the-device may-"beconnected. In this position the "valve platte -22 isheldragainstthe=face=24 ofa-the spigot by the compression springZhYand the yoke is urged downwardly by the spring 31, the'yoke b'eing in'it's'lowermost positionwith the stop lugs 3T lying againstthe ribs 38, as showndn Fig. 1.

".If' themperator wishes to' open the valve or gate, hemay 'conveniently placehi's thumb upon the exte'ndedend of 'theporti'on33 of'the f-ulcrum yoke, said means acting as a stop for said spring and as a thumb-rest for the operator.

2. A gate or spigot comprising a body portion having a forwardly directed discharge opening a. yoke pivoted to the body portion and carrying a valve to control said opening, said yoke being .provided withan. upwardly. facing socket in the intermediate portion thereof; means secured to the body of the spigot, having a portion pro- "je'cting forwardly of the spigot body and directed in a generally lateral direction over said socket, "and a spring mounted between said portion and i zthemyoke and having its lower end received in the. socket, saidspring acting to move the valve to 'closed position.

3:1Amgate..or,spigot comprising a body portion having a forwardly directed discharge opening, na yokepivotedztoathe body portion and carryingawvalve to control said opening, said yoke being provided with a socket in the intermediate portionthereof ,1 a..coil--. spring, having its lower .end received. in. saidsocket, a, member Carried ;by the (body vportion of the -spigot .andprojecting forwardly .of; .-the..spigot..;body over. the uppenehd "of the. spring, means rsecuringgsaid. member, tq 100 i i said. spring to .hold the .latter. position. ,and said. spring actingagainst the yoke. to movethe valve sto closed position.

.4; A .gate, or spigotcomprising a=body portion avin a discharg ;openin a. yokanivqtedtq loe the body portionand .carrying a-valveto control saidopening-said -yoke bei ng .provided yrith a socket in the intermediate pqttionz thereof, a coil P spring rhaving.- .-its.,l-ower-. end received in -.said

socket, a .memberi-carriedby..the body portion, 0g; no

a the. {y spigot. and projecting .2 over-; the upper; rend of the. spring.- -meanssecuringgzsaid:;1nember to .--.-said spring to hold the latter in. position, ;said

spring. acting; against they-eke; to; move th valve in closed-position, .and-.said ;r;ne,ans comprising as 1 tongue struck -from =said. ,memben;and engaged .with-lthe, spring.

. 5-. Agate or :spigoti comprising a.- .body portion having a dischargdopenin a yokegpivotedto the 5 member and at the same time engagehis'fingersJt-bodyiportion. and-carrying a. va1v,e;to.c ontrol saighjgo 'below thwmember 26.' The valve=-may then-be-wopenin nsaid': yoke being1 provided-with a socket readily opened -b'y movement of the member. 26-

upwardly, moving the yoke against thettension of the spring 31 whichreacts againstthesfulcrumg member'32i It will'be apparentthat asfisoon asma d l J'ec overs-thel upperqend of the-spring 25 the member 26 is released; the yoke-will'bemoved downwardly "by the spring 31' to 'close =the"valve,:

the" downward "movement being" limited :.-'by the "engagement of the lugs 37'against the'ribss 38.

Itwill be apparent that I 'havesprovided an automatically "closing "gate which is economical to manufacture andwhich at the-same time will be easy" to operate, unlikely to get out? ofxorder, and which will effectually prevent: any leakage 66 3 or iossrrom the discharge opening of thespigoti 5 'Whilel have shownand' described a'preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to belimited to all of thedetails shown, but is capable of -modification'and variation within the spirit of the-invention and within the' scope of the appended claims.

" What I' claim is:' 1. A molasses gate or spigot comprising a body portionhaving a discharge opening, a yoke piv-" 2 77 otd to said-body member'and carrying a valve to "control said opening, manually engageable "means to move' 'the yoke, a s'pring'acting against theyoke t0"'urge it in adire'ction to close-the valve, and means secured to-the body: portion of 7,5"the- 'spigotand projecting therefrom over the 1 -in-thez-intermediate: portion thereof, a eoil spring having-its.loweraendcreceivediimsaid socket, a membencarriedy-by. thebodyportion of, the spigot from: said :memberzand -.en aged-- -with the;v spring 130 said member having portion-projecting -beyond" said springf to servesas a-thumbgrestior theoperator.

6. In a molasses gate or spigot,ca-,body portion haVing,-a 'cunved-facesurface and discharge o e ing therethrough, anyokevpivotedtogthebo y portionwand carrying a; valve to; move. over said face and-control.said=opening, an upwardly facing socket provided in the yoke,a-membe r secured to the body portion of. spigot at .the upper sur face thereof, said member having a portionex ..-..tending forwardly over, theisocket, in theyoke,

. acompression springhaving itslowerend, seated inthesocket and. contacting. at its upper, end

, with the. forwardly extending .portionv of said. 142

.tmembenand said portiorrhaving a-tongue struck downwardly :therefrom intermediate. .the edges Y thereof .-andengagedwith .said ,-spr ing.

7-. Inamolassesgate or spigon a body; ortion havinga-curved face surface. anddischarge, open;

LA 14C member, said portion having a tongue struck downwardly therefrom intermediate the edges thereof and engaged with said spring, a manually engageable means on the yoke by which it may be moved, and the forwardly extending portion of said member extending in proximity to said means whereby it may serve as a rest for the thumb of the operator.

ALBERT W. RITTER. 

